Always a Choice
by Dominae
Summary: A collection of oneshots centered around a Mage Warden, generally involving either Zevran or Alistair, but also sometimes not.
1. The Smell of Wood Smoke

Zevran tilted his chair back from the desk, balancing deftly on its legs. The fireplace lit the room with a flickering light; when he glanced out of the corner of his eyes, he fancied that the flames were lovers dancing. He snickered to himself; everything really was about sex with him. But the flames did look sensual; surely he could not be blamed for seeing what was obvious.

The door to his room flew open, crashing against the wall with a loud bang. He almost fell backward, but just barely managed to catch himself on the desk. He faced the door, daggers in hand, then immediately sheathed them. Katherine stood in the doorway. Her chocolate hair was far from its immaculate state; long strands had fallen from her chignon to frame her face. A face, which he noticed, was a terrible mask of pain and anger. There were no tear stains on her cheeks, but her grey eyes were red-rimmed and swollen.

"Ah...bad night?"

The air around her crackled with electricity and he couldn't contain a shiver of worry. Upset mages were dangerous mages. Katherine laughed hollowly and quietly shut the door behind her.

"Actually, things have gone perfectly. According to my plan, anyway. Alistair has broken off our little romance. I have a guilt-ridden future king desperate to make me happy." She leaned against the closed door and gazed up at the rafters with glassy eyes. "So tell me, Zevran, why does this hurt?"

"Perhaps you were so convincing in your love that even you believed it, no?"

Her lips twitched into a bitter little smile.

"I'm quite the liar, then. Such a shame it's not working in my favor at the moment," She took a shuddering breath and pushed herself away from the door. "I think I might have been a fool to play this game. But I suppose I shall at least be a free and surviving fool, at the end of all this."

He grinned, though it was more meant to reassure her than any true expression of mirth.

"See? Eternal optimism is a good trait to have. Just as I said."

A shadow of a smile appeared on her face, then just as quickly faded. Katherine approached him slowly and stopped just before him, so close that he could smell the hint of wood smoke in her hair. When she spoke, her voice was husky with desire and raw pain.

"I believe you might also have said something about your bed always being open, should I wish it."

He paused for a moment, conflicted. He did want her, true, but he tried to avoid taking advantage of emotional crises. Most of the time, anyway. Well, sometimes. When he cared about the person.

"I...might have mentioned something about it. But-" Her lips met his, cutting his words short. The kiss was uncertain at first, her hands resting hesitantly on his chest, but she quickly grew bolder as he dismissed his doubts in favor of the woman in his arms and returned her ardor. Katherine deepened the kiss and linked her arms around his neck, then roughly pushed him down to the bed and straddled his waist. She pulled the remaining pins from her hair and let it fall around her shoulders, then began to unlace her shirt.

"Good."

* * *

><p>Zevran groaned softly as her fingernails lightly scratched the tattoos on his back, playing with the black lines that traced over shoulder blades and down his spine.<p>

"You weren't lying when you said you had these...," He smiled into the pillow. He could almost hear the frown in her voice as she searched for the word.

"Tattoos."

"These tattoos everywhere, were you?"

"Mm. No. And I do not believe you have even found them all yet."

Katherine laughed with surprise, and laid back down from her sitting position, tilting her face so that she could better see him.

"Truly? I thought I was quite thorough in my search."

He chuckled, and reached over to brush a tendril of hair from her eyes.

"Oh, you were. But I am good at hiding things, am I not?"

She gazed at him for a long moment, then leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"I simply must look a bit harder next time, then."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I don't write for reviews, but they are appreciated<strong>.


	2. Ser Staff

The first thing he noticed was a dull throbbing pain in his skull. It hurt a great deal, to be honest. The second thing he noticed was that his hands and feet were tied. Normally, he wouldn't have minded waking up this way (except for the headache, that he could do without), but he had a vague feeling that things had gone very, very, _very _wrong for him. He furrowed his brows, trying to remember what he might have done, recently that is, to end up in this situation.

_They hadn't told him one of the Wardens was a mage. But really, it was lovely to find out by having several of your men set on fire or exploded. Or both at the same time, even. He attempted to get a bit closer to the woman, careful not to draw her attention. A shimmering purple sheen covered her body and protected her from the arrows sent her way, but she was tiring. The shield was no longer as steady; it sputtered out occasionally. If he was going to have any chance at taking her down, it was now. Throwing caution to the wind, he lunged at her. _

"_Katherine!"_

_He had a moment to swear before she turned, and he made full use of it. The woman's eyes widened as she twisted out of the way of his blades, then narrowed with fury. He still had a chance. She was still too tired to cast anything, and he was too close for her to blast him with her staff. Unfortunately, he was the perfect distance for her to crack him over the head. His ears rang at the blow, and he collapsed to the ground._

Ah. Right. He hesitantly opened his eyes and immediately winced. The sunlight was not helping his head. His eyes gradually adjusted to the sudden light, turning the person in front of him into something more than a silhouette.

"You're not very bright, are you?"

He frowned and tried to identify who had spoke. Oh. The woman he'd just tried to stab. The dark-haired one. Katherine. She had a pretty face, even if it was very disapproving, and possibly one of the last he'd ever see.

"Really? I don't even get a moment to recover before I'm insulted?"

"You tried to kill us! You shouldn't have _any _moments!"

That was a rather masculine voice. He blinked, and another figure appeared in front of him, flanking the mage. He needed to tend to his head wound. The sooner the better.

"We were just attacked by assassins, Alistair. He's their leader, and thus has answers."

"Isn't it clear that Loghain sent them?"

"As if he's the only person that wants us dead. Loghain is likely, but we can't dismiss other possibilities."

The blond man sighed, but nodded. Katherine paused for a moment and seemed to check that Alistair was truly going to be quiet. He took the chance to pass out again.

"Oh, Andraste's burning stake!"

A burning heat seared his head, then abruptly faded, taking the headache with it. He opened his eyes again. The woman was bent over in front of him, her palm resting on his forehead.

"You know, you wouldn't be in this mess if you'd bothered to duck. Honestly, what type of person just watches himself get whacked in the head? I'll tell you what type; the tied-up and interrogated type."

"I'll take that into consideration next time."

A bolt of electricity shocked him and he gasped in pain.

"I really don't have time for snark right now, unless it's exceptionally snarky snark. Tell me what I need to know. Who hired you?"

He tried to sit up but the bindings made it impossible, so he moved his head so that he was at least eating a bit less dirt.

"Loghain, as you said. Though really he didn't hire me; he just contracted the Crows. And I bid the most. So here I am."

She nodded with satisfaction.

"Well, at least he tried to get good assassins. I was a bit insulted, honestly. Can we expect more of you? Ones a bit more competent next time?"

"Are all Fereldans so bitter? Isn't it enough that you've won?"

"How should I know? I've been locked in a tower for the past two decades. Now answer the question."

"I can see why they didn't let you out. You're not very nice, are you?"

He was certain he saw her give a small smile. A very small one that disappeared almost immediately, but it was there.

"Answer the bloody question, Antivan."

"Probably. The Crows don't like failure," She nodded again, and began to reach for the knife at her side. He continued hastily, "which brings me to my next point. I can't go back to the Crows, since they would probably kill me for not fulfilling the contract."

Her hand was still gripping the knife, but she didn't draw it.

"And you can't go back because I don't let would-be assassins go."

"Well, yes. But see, if the Crows are going to make an attempt on your life again, wouldn't you like to have someone along that knows their wily ways? That someone being me?"

She let out a surprised laugh that he didn't quite like the sound of.

"What, so you can poison our food? Slit our throats while we sleep? Push me over a cliff at the first opportunity? Ooh, so you can try to drop a tree on me again? That was rather creative, actually."

"You wound me, really. I don't make a habit of killing my benefactors. Especially when the Crows would probably kill me for not succeeding the first time. Just on principle, you understand."

Katherine studied him quietly, her expression unreadable.

"You make a good argument, I'll give you that. And I suppose you can hold your own in a fight. When you bother to move out of the way of a staff, anyway."

"I'm also good at warming beds, if you fancy it."

The blond-haired man had been idly grinding his boot into the ground, but now he looked up. His ears had gone all red, oddly.

"Are you honestly thinking about taking him with us, Katherine? He just tried to _kill us._ I don't know about you, but that's not really the sort of thing I look for in the people I trust."

"Tried being the key word." He reminded them.

"Exactly. Besides, if I start to get suspicions I can just kill him."

Alistair sighed a long-suffering sigh.

"Fine. But I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Noted."

She knelt down and began to untie the rope. He rubbed his wrists when they were free, trying to soothe the red marks.

"So, Katherine, is it?"

"Katherine Amell, yes. And this is Alistair. What is your name, assassin? I'd rather not keep referring to you as such."

"Zevran Aranai. Zev to my friends."

"I'll keep that in mind if I ever number you among them."


	3. Answers

"Why? Why did you do this to me? To Lily?"

She kept her back to him, choosing instead to face the black water of the pond. It was easier than turning and seeing those accusing eyes again.

"I did what I had to, Jowan. Surely you, of all people, should know what that's like."

"Even when it meant throwing me to the templars?"

His hand landed roughly on her shoulder and she finally spun around to look at him. The noise of the camp behind them had faded as their voices raised. Alistair and Leliana cast concerned glances in their direction, while Zevran merely appeared curious. Morrigan didn't turn her head from her fire, but gold eyes occasionally flicked toward them.

"It seems that you were willing to go to such lengths! You were dealing in blood magic and Maker knows what else! Did you ever even think what would happen to me if we got caught? Would you have left me just the same, to be killed or made Tranquil or dragged away to rot in Aeonar?" Her voice lowered to a spitting hiss, full of fury and pain. "Don't talk to me about betrayal. Not after you were willing to risk everything I'd fought for."

His face crumpled; the picture of man who'd gambled everything and lost more than he could imagine.

"We could have made it out. I could be married to Lily now; I could have a child on the way that no templar could take. We...we could've destroyed your phylactery, somehow. We could've been free, Kat."

Katherine blinked, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

"Could haves and idealism don't make for happy endings. I learned that long ago, Jowan. You need to as well."

"I know you think that. But tell me, is this your happy ending? Bound to an early death with the Gray Wardens purchased with the betrayal of a friend?"

She took a shuddering breath and whispered, "Maybe not. But I escaped an ending at the Circle, and I am content with my lot."

"We shouldn't have to settle for being content with our lives."

"We don't have to be. I'm choosing to be."

Katherine swore under breath and tilted her head upward as a tear trickled down her face. Damn him for showing up again. Damn him for his words. Damn her for not being able to leave him to the mercies of the templars in Redcliffe.

She lowered her voice and spoke quietly. "I won't force that upon you. I lied to you once before to save myself; I'll lie to everyone now to save you from conscription, if that is what you wish."

Jowan looked at her with a dim light of hope in his eyes.

"Of course I want that."

She smiled slightly.

"Then when I take watch tonight, I might not see you leave. Just promise me that you'll leave the blood magic behind. Promise me you'll keep yourself safe."

He almost leaned in to hug her with joy, but stopped short and put on a fake scowl, belied by his words.

"I'll do my best. Better than my best, actually. Can we call this even, then?"

She nodded and suppressed another shaking breath.

"I'm good with that. And Jowan...find a happy ending. For both of us."


End file.
